Brush holder



June 23, 1936- o. F. HOLM'BERG BRUSH HOLDER Filed June 8, 1935 r fizz/6215 07": 1 Oscar F15 0 Z772567" Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 8,

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to holders for paint brushes and the like.

One object of the present invention is to provide a paint brush holder of an economical and 5 efficient form which can be used for retaining paint brushes either during inactive periods while the brush is being used for painting or during the time the brush is immersed in a fluid during storage periods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a holder for brushes in which a brush can be suspended without substantial contact between the frame of the holder and the bristle portion of the brush.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a brush holder which is adapted to se curely hold a brush in fixed position whereby the bristles of the brush will be protected.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for readily removing the holder from con,- tact with the brush.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brush holder including a gripping jaw construction thereon which can be readily adjusted to adapt the holder to retain brushes of varying thicknesses.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the brush holder illustrating a brush held in place therein; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the brush holder.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the brush holder comprises a frame indicated generally at 5 supporting one or more brush gripping members 6, 6.

The frame 5, as disclosed, is substantially U- shaped and, in the present instance, comprises a cross member 1 connecting the upright branches or legs 8, 8 of the frame. One or both of the branches or legs 8, 8 may be advantageously mounted so as to provide for outward deflection thereof relative to the frame. For this purpose the frame is preferably formed of resilient material such as relatively heavy wire, although the frame could, if desired, be fabricated of material other than wire and have a shape other than round in cross-section.

In order to keep the tip of the bristles substantially out of contact with the bottom of any receptacle in which the brush and holder may be placed the base portion 1 of the frame is preferably formed with downwardly projecting legs 9, 9 which, in the present instance, may be advan- 1935, Serial No. 25,539

tageously formed by extending the branches 8, 8 of the frame down beyond the cross member l and then reversely bending the material of the frame to form relatively rigid legs of double thickness.

The gripping members 6, 6 on the branches 8, 8 are preferably formed of thin metal of a resilient character but at the same time capable of some degree of deformation so as to enable the jaws l0, ill to be bent closer together or farther apart to adapt them to brushes of varying thicknesses. Flared portions H, H are formed on the ends of the jaws iii, it of the gripping members to facilitate the movement of the gripping member onto the bristle base i2 of the brush.

The upright branches or legs 8, 8 of the frame 5 are preferably permanently secured to the respective gripping members 6, 6. In the present invention this is accomplished by means of soldering, but obviously the gripping members 6, 6 may be secured to the legs 8, 8 in other ways known in the art. Finger engaging portions or elements I3, l3 are preferably associated with the gripping members so as to facilitate removal of the gripping members from the brush, when it is so desired. For

this purpose the branches 8, 8 of the frame 5 are preferably extended beyond the gripping members t, 6 so as to clear the shoulders 14, I4 of the brush. For the purpose of making these finger engaging members I3, l3 more rigid the branches 8, 8 of the frame are preferably reversely bent so that the free end thereof is disposd in contact with the gripping member. In the present instance both the main portion of the branches 8, 8 and the reversely bent portions are secured along the backs of the gripping members, although this need not necessarily be the case.

When it is desired to use the brush holder of my invention it is only necessary to press the gripping members 6, 6 onto the edges of the bristle base of the brush, and by reason of the resiliency of the gripping members 6, 6 the brush will be firmly and securely held in place. If the spacing of the jaws l0, Ii] of the gripping members is too great for the thickness of the brush which it is desired to retain in the holder the jaws l0, l0 may be pressed together to a distance at which the inner surfaces of the flared portions H, II are somewhat closer together than the thickness of the brush. In this way the brush may be firmly held from displacement when the gripping members 6, 6 are pressed thereon.

In some cases it is found desirable to dispense with one of the grippers 6 and employ only a the grippers 6, 6 into firm engagement with the bristle base of the brush, as previously described. The resiliency of the frame 5 permitting the branches 8, 8 to be readily inclined inwardly.

When it is desired to remove the brush from the holder this may be readily done by holding the handle of the brush and pulling outward on first one finger engaging element It and then the other whereupon the gripping members 6, ii may be removed-from the edges of the brush.

By reason of the leg portions 9, 9 of the holder the frame proper will at all times be kept clear of the bottom of the receptacle in which the holder has been placed; and, due to the cross piece 1 of the frame, the user of the holder will have a guide whereby the brush will be placed in the frame well above the lower ends of legs 9, 9.

From the foregoing it is readily apparent that mypresent invention provides a convenient and highly useful holder for brushes of the paint brush type whereby the brush may be securely held while immersed, for example in a cleaning fluid or can be temporarily held during inactive periods in a painting operation. Due to the flexible character of the frame and the adjustability of the gripping members the holder is Well adapted to effectively retain brushes of varying widths as well as varying thicknesses.

While the present description sets forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, various changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A brush holder comprising, in combination, a U-shaped wire frame arranged to be supported in position on the bottom of a receptacle, the vertical branches of the frame being yieldable outwardly, a gripping member located on the free end of each vertical branch and adapted to frictionally engage the bristle base of the brush, whereby the bristles will be disposed within the frame and out of contact therewith.

2. A brush holder comprising in combination a U-shaped frame of resilient material, gripping members secured to the upper free ends of the frame, said gripping members adapted to engage and retain a brush within the frame so as to be substantially free from contact therewith, and finger engaging elements associated with the gripping members arranged to be grasped and pulled, whereby the gripping members may be readily removed from engagement with the brush.

3. A brush holder comprising in combination a U-shaped frame of resilient material, gripping members secured to the free ends of the frame and adapted to engage and retain a brush within the frame so as to be free from contact therewith, the ends of the frame being extended above the gripping members to provide finger engaging elements arranged to be grasped and pulled, whereby the gripping members may be readily removed from engagement with the brush.

4. A brush holder comprising in combination a U-shaped frame of resilient material, gripping members located adjacent the free ends of the vertical branches of the frame, whereby the brush will be held suspended within the frame with the bristles of said brush substantially out of contact with the frame, the free ends of the frame being extended substantially beyond the gripping members and being reversely bent upon themselves to and along the respective gripping members, means securing the respective gripping members to the reversely bent portions as well as the primary portions of the frame, the free ends of the frame which extends beyond the gripping members forming rigid finger engaging elements, whereby upon pulling outwardly upon said finger engaging elements the gripping members will be readily withdrawn from the brush. 15

5. A brush holder comprising in combination a U-shaped wire frame having legs thereon adjacent the closed ends of the frame, and gripping members secured to the free branches of the frame to engage the bristle base portion of a brush.

6. A brush holder comprising a wire frame adapted to be disposed on the bottom of a receptacle, said frame comprising upright branches, at least one of which is mounted for outward displacement relatively to the other branch, and a gripping member located adjacent the upper free end of each branch of the frame adapted to grip and hold the bristle base portion of a brush.

7. A brush holder comprising, in combination, 30 a wire frame adapted to rest upon the bottom of a receptacle, an upright member on said frame, and a gripping member on the upright member adapted to releasably engage the bristle base portion a of a brush whereby the brush will be supported on the frame.

8. A brush holder comprising, in combination,

a frame adapted to rest upon the bottom of a receptacle, an upright member on said frame, and a gripping member on the upright member adapted to releasably engage the bristle base portion of a, brush, whereby the brush will be supported on the frame, said gripping member comprising opposed jaws of resilient, deformable material, whereby the opening of the jaws may be varied to adapt the gripping member to engage the bristle bases of brushes of varying thicknesses.

9. A brush holder formed from a length of metal bent into U-shaped formation to provide a bottom portion arranged to rest on the bottom of a receptacle, two vertical branches extending upwardly from the ends of said bottom portions and adapted to lie adjacent to but substantially out of contact with the side edges of a brush when positioned therein, and a gripping member on each vertical branch for gripping the bristle base portion of a brush and supporting said brush within said holder.

10. An open U-shaped brush holder formed from a length of flexible material, comprising a laterally extending bottom portion and two upstanding legs adapted to lie along the side edges of a brush when positioned within said holder, the bottom ends of said legs extending below said bottom portion, and gripping members'on the upper ends of said upstanding legs, said gripping members adapted to frictionally engage opposed side edges of the bristle base portion of a brush and support the same within said holder. 79

OSCAR F. HOLMBERG. 

